Thursday, 6 November 2014

15th November Protest on Oxford Street

Dear Friends,

This time last year six cyclists died on London's roads in just two weeks[1]. That horrible sequence of tragedies was the impetus for starting this petition [2]. We have made a real impact over the last year and we are part of a large and growing movement for change on our roads. However right now the roads, drivers, vehicles and cyclists out there are largely the same.

We never want to see a repeat of those headlines and we will keep campaigning until people are safe to cycle in London. Today I'd like to share some advice which might be useful for you or a friend:

Take extra care around lorries, trucks and buses - they are involved in over half of cyclist fatalities. Avoid the left of a lorries at junctions, many turn without indicating first. While the TfL adverts show an articulated goods lorry as the main danger, in reality lorries from the construction & demolition industry are most disproportionately implicated in cyclist fatalities.

Turn on your lights. If your lights aren't working as well as they should change the batteries or buy new lights if needed. You can find good cheap lights on-line and there are (more expensive) USB powered lights if you don't like changing batteries. Unfortunately some lights are poor quality* and unreliable so check the reviews before you buy.

Be patient. When the weather is bad and the traffic is jammed it can be frustrating, but it is better to wait a few seconds than put yourself at risk in the danger zone of a lorry or in someone's blind spot. Where possible make eye contact with stationary drivers before you pass in front of their vehicle and if they're not paying attention be very careful.

Help us keep up the pressure for safer roads - share the petition and come to the demonstration (see below)!

Last year we invited you to the mass 'die-in' outside TfL where over one thousand people protested against the danger on our roads [3]. This year the same group is marching along Oxford Street with a rally at Marble Arch to highlight ten demands for a safer road network [4]. The demands include many of the issues our supporters have told us are important [5], so please help make this protest even bigger than last year.

Many thanks again for your support and I hope everyone stays safe this winter,

Fred

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P.s. The call for safer cycling is now also coming from business groups thanks to cyclingworks.wordpress.com. The consultations are closing soon, so if your employer might be interested please let them know about it today.

* Lights are a safety device and it shocks me that lights from big manufacturers and sold by major retailers have been found to be unreliable and in some cases not even weather proof. This would not be acceptable for any other safety device and it's not acceptable for cycle lights - if you've had unreliable lights please let us know the brand and who sold them.